Volleyball teams start training today

KARACHI: After being delayed twice, eventually national senior volleyball team and the under-20 players will assemble at POF Wah on Tuesday (today) to kick-start their training for their respective international commitments.

"Yes, the camp was delayed for two more days as air-conditioners were being installed but now everything is ready and both senior and junior lots will report tomorrow," Pakistan Volleyball Federation (PVF) chairman Chaudhry Mohammad Yaqoob told 'The News' on Monday.

This will be after seven months that the seniors will return to activity since featuring in the Asian Championship held in Japan in September last year.

The seniors have ahead AVC Cup to be held in Chinese Taipei from August 7-14. It will be followed by Islamic Games to be held in the same month in Konya, Turkey. As many as 26 senior players have been invited to the camp. Both senior and under-20 teams will be trained at the same time by Brazilian coach Cristiano Rodrigues Campos.

The under-20 team will resume its training as the camp had been broken for a few days due to Eid-ul-Fitr.

The junior lot is preparing for the 21st Asian Men’s Under-20 Volleyball Championship slated to be held in Riffa, Bahrain, from August 22-29. Yaqoob said that he is going to meet with Engro chief on May 20 to discuss with him sponsorship for volleyball. He said this year is packed with international events. The Asian Games have been postponed but it will not have any big impact on volleyball as they have a load of events, he added. Besides, their inaugural pro league will be held near the end of this year, he said.